Here is a salad that goes with everything summer–especially anything off the grill. Marinated cherry tomato salad is just one more way to use one of my favorite ingredients of the season: cherry tomatoes.
All you need is a supply of excellent ones, locally grown, if possible. Usually, we manage to grow a decent crop of cherry tomatoes. But this year, the garden is under construction, so it’s farmers’ market fare for us.
My grower friend Beth has introduced me to so many varieties. Of course, there’s Sun Golds and Supersweet 100s but also Isis Candy, Black Cherry and Yellow Mini. I wonder what varieties you might find at the market this summer.
Whatever they are, my advice is to buy extra.
After you’ve popped as many into you mouth as you can stand–ah, the joys of summer–slice a couple of pints in half and get them marinating for dinner in this three-ingredient salad {cherry tomatoes, red onion and parsley}.
If you’re eyeing those red onions warily, take note: the red wine vinegar quick pickles them to take off the acerbic edge. Instead of biting, they provide a crunchy aromatic counterpoint to the sweetness from the cherry tomatoes.
I recommend mixing this up one hour in advance for the best flavor. But you can also make it sooner or 15 minutes in advance of dinner. Just be bold with the best red wine vinegar you can find and stir often.
To me, this is the ideal side dish for anything that comes off the grill, any fish, steak or chicken.
It’s also terrific on grilled bread as an appetizer or spooned from a bowl onto warm pita breads with white bean spread. It also makes excellent picnic food for your next outing.
It’s uncomplicated, quick to toss together and goes with everything you’re already eating. So, it lets you eat more cherry tomatoes while you still can.
What’s your favorite way to enjoy cherry tomatoes? Let me know in the comments below or tag a photo #lynnesforage on Instagram or Facebook.
Marinated Cherry Tomato Salad
Ingredients
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes, sliced in half mix varieties for color
- 1 cup finely diced red onion
- 1 bunch Italian flat-leaf parsley
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Combine the cherry tomatoes, onion, parsley, salt and pepper with the vinegar in a wide, shallow bowl. Stir well.
- Marinate for at least 1 hour or up to 3 hours at room temperature, stirring several times.
- Just before serving, add the olive oil, stir well and taste for seasoning.
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